


history & smoothies

by poetroe



Series: Wuko Week 2020 [5]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, High School, M/M, Tutoring, Wuko, Wuko Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetroe/pseuds/poetroe
Summary: Towards the end, Mako is only still looking at Wu’s grand gestures as he describes the fall of one warlock and the rise of another, his eyes shimmering and far-off. It’s captivating in the full sense of the word; Mako can’t look away. It’s probably because the subject matter itself is still not succeeding in keeping his attention, he thinks as his eyes trail down to Wu’s exposed belly.Day 5 for Wuko Week: alternative universe (hsau)
Relationships: Mako/Prince Wu (Avatar)
Series: Wuko Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905655
Comments: 5
Kudos: 98





	history & smoothies

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually the only fic i wrote ahead of time so !! yall r getting two fics from me today <3

The profile pic is a white toothed smile, offset by warm brown skin and eyes, scrunched closed. Just the close-up, nothing more. The status reads ‘be gay do crimes’, followed by a barrage of emojis he hasn’t a chance of deciphering. Mako closes the WhatsApp profile and goes back to his conversation with Asami. And you’re sure about this, he writes.

Absolutely, Asami writes back. Though he can be a bit of a jerk, he knows the most about the Earth Kingdom. Mako sighs, as his phone buzzes another two times in his palm. And be honest, Asami says. You kind of need him.

She’s right. Mako would be the first one to admit he puts in more effort with his school’s pro bending team than with boring courses like Spirituality and Earth Kingdom History. As a result, his grades have been lacking to the point that coach Toza threatened to bench him if he didn’t make a change. And, as a result, Mako is here, sitting on the bleachers, texting one of the smartest people in the school for tutoring lessons.

They know each other in the way people usually know each other in high school. Though they have several classes together and Mako knows Wu’s last name, he isn’t sure if they have actually talked to each other before. He figures that’s what causes the nerves when he meets Wu in the library after class.

So he has a bit of an idea what to expect, but when Wu enters the library ten minutes late, wearing their school’s pro bending jersey with the bottom cut off to make it a crop top, Mako is still lost for words.

“Mako, right?” Wu says, grinning like on his profile picture, as he drops his bag on a chair and then himself, on the chair closest to Mako.

“Uh, yeah,” Mako replies. His fingers are playing with the strap of his backpack on the table. “Good to meet you.”

“So,” Wu continues as he gets the thick history book from his bag, paying no mind to the awkward silence Mako let fall. “Is there any specific part of Earth Kingdom history you need help with, or..?”

Mako finishes his thought. “Pretty much all of it.” Wu sighs sympathetically.

“I had a hunch,” he says. “You’re always looking like a lost deer dog puppy in class.” Mako snorts.

“Kind of how you look during gym, then?” Wu’s expression turns offended, but Mako can see a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“I’ll have you know I _always_ get a passable grade for gym class.”

“And not a single point more,” Mako grins.

“You’re one to talk,” Wu says, as he opens the book up to the first chapter. Mako has another joking insult on his tongue, but Wu’s big, stern green eyes shut him up. “From the start, then?” Wordlessly, Mako nods.

Wu spends two hours talking about the earliest origins of the Earth Kingdom, when it was essentially just spirit wilds with people living there as nomads, to how the introduction of bending and the closing of the spirit portals resulted in the first cities, to the era of the warring states, each with their own cultures, interests, and conflicts with others. He only stops occasionally to turn the pages of the book. Mako spends those two hours making sporadic notes in his notebook, but mostly he just ends up transfixed by Wu’s amazing storytelling ability, recounting the events so naturally and factually it’s as if he’s lived through them.

Towards the end, Mako is only still looking at Wu’s grand gestures as he describes the fall of one warlock and the rise of another, his eyes shimmering and far-off. It’s captivating in the full sense of the word; Mako can’t look away. It’s probably because the subject matter itself is still not succeeding in keeping his attention, he thinks as his eyes trail down to Wu’s exposed belly.

Then the clock strikes 5 and Wu closes the book. “Sorry,” he says, smiling crookedly. “I wanted to stop at the founding of the great cities Ba Sing Se and Omashu, but I got caught up talking about the power struggles that preceded them… It’s one of my favorite parts.”

“That’s okay,” Mako says, as he puts away his stuff. “We can just pick it back up next time. Right?” Wu breaks out his blinding smile again.

“Sure!”

***

“Take a breath.” Two hands squeeze his shoulders. “You’ve got this.” Mako does as he’s told and breathes in, deeply. This is just a test; why it feels more nerve-racking than a game, Mako isn’t sure. Maybe it’s because this boy shaking him by the shoulders has invested so much time and effort helping him succeed and, for the first time, Mako actually cares about whether he passes or fails this test.

“I’ve got this,” he echoes, and Wu smiles.

“Attaboy. Now go put that pretty head to work!” The compliment flusters him momentarily, but Mako has gotten used to Wu’s flirtatious comments over the past few weeks, and he smiles easily.

“And smoothies after?”

Wu grins. “Smoothies after.”

Warring states, crystal mining and its role in the rise of Ba Sing Se, the paralleled rise of the Earth Kingdom as a collection of unified, semi-autonomous provinces and the increase in outlaw doafei… Remarkably, Mako knows all of it. It’s easy, he supposes as he finishes writing the final answer, when it’s been explained to him so thoroughly.

Over the past few weeks, his lessons with Wu have evolved from him just listening to Wu going on to Mako actually participating in retelling the stories of the past, as the two of them uncover the causes and effects that propel them forward. And, occasionally, their conversations had taken a turn towards different subjects: their own pasts, for starters. But also pro bending and Mako’s role in the team, one of the few things Wu does _not_ know a lot about, and Wu’s ever expanding sneaker collection.

In the end, it hadn’t even felt like tutoring lessons, anymore. Just Mako and Wu, hunched over their history book, shoulders and knees touching; together in their little bubble, in the library after classes.

Mako feels his cheeks heat up a little as he stares at his answer sheet, filled with long sentences in his chicken scratch, little pieces of proof from their shared afternoons. A small smile curls around his lips as he picks up the sheet and brings it to the teacher in front of the class. And now, conforming to their new little tradition, they’re going to get smoothies at Kwong’s, the most overpriced place in town. ‘A great effort requires a great reward’, according to Wu.

Wu is already waiting for him in their usual booth. The oversized t-shirt might look strange with the pink shorts on anyone else, but he pulls it off. “Hey, Wu,” Mako says as he plops down on the couch next to Wu, ignoring the brief eyeroll the other boy shoots him when he has to scoot over.

“So, how did you do?” Wu wastes no time and switches into interrogation mode almost instantly. “What did they ask? How many questions do you think you have right? We can estimate what grade you’re going to get—”

“It’s fine,” Mako interrupts, grinning. “I think I aced it.”

“You think?” Wu asks, his eyebrow raised. Probably unconsciously, he’s leaning in closer.

“I _know_ ,” Mako assures him. The bright white smile Wu shoots back at him is worth more than any grade he could’ve gotten today.

“Good.”

It’s after they’ve ordered and received their usual’s – strawberry for Mako, some concoction of organic coconut milk, purple berries, ash banana and other stuff for Wu – that the finality of this moment dawns on Mako. After he passes this test, tutor lessons might not be necessary anymore.

He glances at Wu, who is slowly sipping his smoothie and texting someone, hitting the keys with rapid-fire speed. “Thank you, by the way,” Mako says, his hand awkwardly coming up to his neck, “for helping me.” When Wu looks up from his phone, his eyes are bright.

He smiles. “Of course.”

“I just realized I never, like, gave you anything in return,” Mako continues.

“Don’t be silly, Mako,” Wu replies. “You already pay for our smoothies, that’s what I do it for.” He smirks. “Well, maybe I do it a little bit for you, too.”

“You’re a true philanthropist,” Mako deadpans. Wu just meets his sardonic expression with another slow sip from his smoothie.

“But, if you’re really so insistent on doing something for me, I might know something,” Wu says eventually, just after Mako has taken a sip of strawberry.

“What?”

Wu bites his lip, his cheeks darkening, but looking about as serious as Mako has seen him. “Close your eyes.”

Mako snorts, wearing a cautious smile as he does as Wu told him to. “You not going to play a prank on me, are you?” he asks—Wu’s hand is suddenly on top of his own, where it lays in his lap.

“Don’t move,” he says, and he sounds close. Mako can feel his face grow red and doesn’t move another inch.

The hand that so tenderly holds his own moves to his upper arm as another grabs his shoulder. It’s awfully similar to how Wu held him before the test, except now Mako feels infinitely more nervous. He just keeps sitting as still as he can, hands clutching each other in his lap, as he waits.

And then Wu’s lips are on his. It’s short and sweet, and above all a lot softer than Mako would’ve imagined. Wu’s fingers are digging into his arm and he flexes his bicep in response. The kiss is warm and tastes a little like purple berries.

Before he even realizes it, Wu has moved back again. Something in Mako unwinds, he wants to grab Wu by the collar of his shirt with both hands and pull him back into the kiss—but at the same time his brain seems to short circuit on processing _what just happened,_ so he remains in his frozen state.

When his eyes slowly blink open Wu is looking at him, characteristically bright-eyed but uncharacteristically silent. Mako exhales the breath he’s been holding, feeling his tense muscles relax along with it.

He mirrors Wu’s movement from before, and covers his hand with his own. Still a little overwhelmed, but wearing a growing smile, he mutters: “If you wanted a taste of my smoothie, you could’ve just asked.”


End file.
